You can view the article Waterford Post published on the front page (June 19, 2025) by accessing this link. The title is WUHS Borrowing Funds for referendum Work- District’s strong credit rating helps it solicit numerous bids.

As summer approaches, we're excited to share some important updates on our upcoming projects. We anticipate completing 50% of the plan review by June 25th.

This summer, we'll be tackling several key initiatives:

• Main Street Retaining Wall Repair: This critical project addresses a significant lean and erosion, ensuring safety before the next school year begins. The scope of work is being finalized and will soon go out for bid.

• ADA Accessible Sidewalk at Waterford Education Cooperative Office: To enhance accessibility, we'll be upgrading the sidewalk outside the Special Education office. Given the project's small scale, we'll be gathering multiple quotes to ensure fair pricing rather than issuing an RFP.

• Asbestos Abatement and Demolition: The house demolition and asbestos abatement are scheduled for completion this summer or early fall. We've already received bids and are currently reviewing them. This demolition will make way for a new loading dock, providing secure entry for deliveries.

• Locker Repair and Maintenance: All necessary locker repairs and maintenance will be completed over the summer.

The Mapleview section of the building will be closed for the entire 2025-2026 school year, with the exception of the Performing Arts Center (PAC) and Tech Ed classrooms. This strategic decision allows us to start critical projects, including galvanized pipe replacements, HVAC upgrades, and mechanical system improvements, as early as possible. Beginning these projects sooner helps us secure better pricing in light of inflationary costs. It provides an opportunity for lower bids when construction companies are looking for projects during potential downtime.

To accommodate this, the classrooms currently in the Mapleview section—including world language, business, digital photography, the Waterford Education Cooperative, and the UNITE program—will be relocated to alternative spaces for the upcoming school year only. We anticipate returning to normal operations in the Mapleview section for the 2026-2027 school year. To facilitate the completion of these projects, the 2025-2026 school year will conclude on May 29, 2026.

The District Design Team remains actively engaged, meeting bi-weekly to drive the project forward until the scope is fully realized. We're committed to delivering on our promises – on time and within budget – and have made significant progress. Here's a summary of our recent reviews and the steps taken to ensure success:

• Superintendent Dr. Luke Francois convened a Community Transparency Team to review the design process, bid packages, and vendor responses once ready. While this group will not participate in decision-making, its role is to promote accountability and transparency on behalf of the district.

• Kitchen experts inspected our food preparation and serving area, specifically examining our outdated equipment, ADA compliance issues, and overall traffic flow into the servery area. 

• Discussions with the state have been held regarding the scope of the fire suppression project. 

• Preliminary architectural drawings have been reviewed. On May 13 and 14, the architectural team will be on site to survey the building. 

• The review of electrical panels and the current fire alarm system is underway as a proactive safety measure. These systems are essential to the daily operation and emergency response of the building. Ensuring they meet modern standards helps protect students and staff while preparing the district for future infrastructure needs.

• To ensure the building project addresses the functional needs and long-term usability, user groups, including Art, Special Education, Food Service, and Technology and Engineering, have been engaged to understand their specific spaces and operational challenges better. Their input is essential for designing environments that support effective instruction, accessibility, and efficient service delivery.

• The district has committed $24.9 million from the approved referendum and an additional $650,000 from Fund 46 to support the scope of this project. Fund 46, a state-designated account that can only be used for long-term capital improvements, allows districts to plan for facility needs. With economies of scale in mind, the district will utilize Fund 46 resources to upgrade the elementary bathrooms in Mapleview with age-appropriate fixtures and add a loading dock to secure entrances, both ensuring the efficient use of funds while addressing a critical building need.

• Work continues on the summer project list. To date, we anticipate completing several outdoor improvements, including ADA-compliant sidewalk repairs, restoration of a retention wall, and demolition of a residential structure to create space for a future loading bay.

After receiving community approval on the February referendum, the district assembled a district design team and started the design phase. You can review the minutes of these meetings below.

Since the vote, the team has completed the following: 

• An exterior site review was done, including reviews of areas such as the sidewalks, retaining walls, ramps, doors, entrances, drainage improvements, pavement, and ADA accessibility improvement areas. 

• Internal materials samples were taken during Spring Break and are being tested for lead and asbestos throughout the building.

• An architect firm (River Valley Architects) was selected and will be in the building over the next month to help finalize the project scope and prepare plans for bidding.

• The summer projects list is being finalized so we can start work this summer by securing the best possible pricing. 

• The district is determining the draw schedule for when to receive referendum revenues. The strategy is to delay the first draw on the schedule as long as possible to minimize the amount of interest owed on the bond. 

• We are working on accountability and transparency for this project, which includes minutes from all the meetings and key milestones being published on our website. We also have an option for community members to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. 

On Tuesday, March 18, the Buildings and Grounds Committee will participate in a joint kickoff meeting with key project partners to begin work on the recently approved referendum projects. This meeting will serve as an initial planning session to align expectations, establish timelines, and outline next steps in the design and construction process.

Agenda items include:

• Introduction of the Design Team - Architects, engineers, consultants, and key project partners

• Overview of the Design Process

• Preliminary Project Timeline - Design, construction phases, and scheduling

• Review of the Approved Project Scope

• Establishing Meeting Cadence - User group involvement and ongoing collaboration

• Open Discussion & Questions

This meeting marks an important step in bringing the referendum projects to life, ensuring a well-coordinated and transparent process as we move forward.

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚈𝚘𝚞, 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢!

After completing our canvass and verifying last night’s results, we are pleased to announce the successful passage of the $24.9 million bond essential referendum. This milestone marks a pivotal moment for our community and its high school, made possible by your trust and commitment to invest in our students' future.

Passing this referendum after three previous attempts underscores our community's dedication to ensuring our essential needs are being taken care of. With these funds, we will repair and replace outdated infrastructure, enhance security measures, and provide classroom improvements to engineering, art, CTE, and special education. Every project will directly benefit our students, staff, and families for years to come.

This referendum is historic—not only is it the largest in Waterford Union’s history, but it was achieved without raising taxes on the bond. By responsibly retiring our previous bond well ahead of schedule, we saved taxpayers over $1 million in interest, allowing us to move forward with this critical investment in our schools in a fiscally responsible manner.

The WUHS family - the Board, the administration, the educators, staff, and I – we take this fiscal responsibility seriously. We recognize the trust you have placed in us, and we are committed to being excellent stewards of these funds. Our promise is to deliver these projects on time and within budget, with full transparency every step of the way. This includes an open and competitive bid process, clear communication on project milestones, and detailed reporting on how every dollar is spent.

In the coming weeks, we will share more information about next steps. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at lfrancois@wuhs.us.

Thank you for believing in the future of Waterford’s schools. Together, our community is building something truly special.
Dr. Luke Francois
Superintendent, Waterford Union High School

You can view the full agenda by visiting this link. Topics that were discussed include:

• Electrical

• Food Service

• Fire Protection

• Mechanical/Plumbing

• Design Schedule

• Civil/site Review

• Architectural Review

• Summer Project List

You can view the full agenda by visiting this link. Topics that were discussed include:

• Overview of the Art and Tech Ed spaces

• Flooring options

• Mechanical options for the Mapleview area

• Review food service area

You can view the full agenda by visiting this link. Topics that were discussed include:

• Civil/Site Review

• Architectural Review

• Mechanical/Plumbing

• Electrical

• Fire Protection

• Food Service

• Roofing

You can view the agenda for the district design meeting by viewing this link.

Topics of discussion included:

• Design Schedule & Timeline Review

• Mechanical and Plumbing

• Electrical

• Food Service

• Roofing

The district design team had its first meeting to discuss the referendum project. Topics of discussion included exterior site review, architectural discussions, mechanical/plumbing, electrical, fire protection, and preliminary timelines. You can view the full agenda by visiting this link. 

On March 18, 2025, Waterford Union High School held the initial kick-off meeting about the referendum projects. The meeting notes can be viewed by visiting this link.